Medicaid expansion not supported by Bible

There was a letter to the editor in the Daily Inter Lake on Dec. 17 titled, “It was extremists who blocked state’s Medicaid expansion.” In it were some very misguided bold statements.

It started by quoting the gospel of Matthew that says, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” This passage was used to justify Medicaid expansion in Montana.

What the writer fails to realize is that this passage is given to individuals, and is not a mandate to expand government. We need to evaluate what we can do for others, instead of what we think government should do for others. Arthur C. Brook, professor at Syracuse University, published a report titled, “Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth about Compassionate Conservatism.” He found that conservatives donate more of their time and money to help others than their liberal counterparts.

The claim was made that expanding Medicaid in Montana would add 14,000 jobs and generate $4 billion in labor income. Where did these figures come from? Were they made up? The U.S. government is $17 trillion in debt. It won’t be able to meet expanded Medicaid obligations and will pass that debt on to the states. Adding to the massive debt is not responsible behavior.

Another claim was made that expanding Medicaid will “bring tranquility to thousands of Montanans.” The Manhattan Institute for Policy Research published an article in its March 2012 edition of “Issues.” They report on an extensive University of Virginia study that shows Medicaid does not produce as it promises. The study examined the outcomes for 893,658 individuals undergoing major surgical operations from 2003 to 2007. It found that Medicaid patients were 13 percent more likely to die after surgery than those with no insurance.

The reasons given for this poor quality was poor access and poor financing. Underpayment of doctors and hospitals, late payments, and excessive paperwork prevent Medicaid recipients from gaining access to basic and specialist health care. That in turn leads to inferior health outcomes.

Other studies by the state of Oregon and the Heritage Foundation have found similar results. That doesn’t sound like tranquility. If you care about quality health care, you won’t expand Medicaid.

Does anyone really think that the federal government is capable of producing an efficient Medicaid program? The government’s history of running things is certainly not stellar. Cash for Clunkers, bank bailouts, subprime loans, and a trillion dollar stimulus for “shovel ready jobs” that didn’t produce much are some examples of government incompetency and waste.

Obamacare alone has already cost many people higher health insurance premiums, lost coverage, lost jobs and/or reduced job hours and has produced a dysfunctional enrollment Web site costing taxpayers more than $600 million. These examples alone are reason enough to doubt competency in Medicaid expansion.

Not expanding Medicaid was the prudent decision. Lowering business and individual taxes as well as lower capital gains taxes will grow the economy and provide jobs for people, so they can raise their standard of living and buy their own health insurance. Health savings accounts and tax deductions for insurance premiums are other ways to give people freedom to control their own lives. This in turn will allow individuals to participate in charitable giving to the hungry, thirsty, sick and imprisoned.

Instead of misrepresenting the Bible to promote one’s extremist ideology, we need to consider the context of each passage; especially the Ten Commandments, where the 10th Commandment is not to covet. That would change the “spread the wealth” philosophy promoted by the Democrat Party.

Rep. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, represents Montana House District 5, rural Columbia Falls and Evergreen.